IWF awarded European Citizen's Prize

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) have been awarded the prestigious 2016 European Citizen’s prize by the European Parliament. Each year judges pick individuals or organisations from within the EU, who made outstanding contributions to the promotion of cooperation and a better mutual understanding, between the citizens of the Member States.

Citizens UK were the only other UK organisation to be awarded the prestigious prize in this year’s selection. A total of 50 people and organisations from 26 EU countries were awarded the 2016 European Citizen’s Prize.

For the full list of winners, visit the European Parliament website.

Since 2008, MEPs have nominated one person or organisation per year, for a National Jury in their Member State, to then select a winner from their proposed candidates. The final winners are chosen by the European Citizen’s Prize Chancellery in Brussels, which included the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament and the Former President, Enrique Barón.

Susie Hargreaves, IWF CEO, says: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the prestigious European Citizen’s Prize, by the European Parliament. It’s a great honour to have been proposed by Clare Moody MEP and to win the award symbolises the achievements that the IWF and our partners, across Europe and the world, have made in tackling the issue of online child sexual abuse imagery.

“In today’s world, a child can be abused on one continent and that abuse can be recorded, stored and shared from another. Offenders across the world can then view the images of the abuse. And this can all happen in a matter of minutes. The internet doesn’t respect boarders. It is only through working together that we can tackle this truly global problem.”

The national award ceremonies will be followed by a central ceremony, to be held in October 2016 in the Parliament in Brussels.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Contact: Lisa Stacey, IWF Communications Manager +44 (0) 1223 203030 or +44 (0) 7929 553679.

What we do:

We make the internet a safer place. We help victims of child sexual abuse worldwide by identifying and removing online images and videos of their abuse. We search for child sexual abuse images and videos and offer a place for the public to report them anonymously. We then have them removed. We’re a not for profit organisation and are supported by the global internet industry and the European Commission.

The IWF is part of the UK Safer Internet Centre, working with Childnet International and the South West Grid for Learning to promote the safe and responsible use of technology.